Prayer Opportunities in April 2020.

“And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer.”Matthew 21:22 (CSB)

We have never been here before. Life over the past few weeks has been quite surreal. This is a real test, not the kind you would hear when the siren goes off to test the lightning or tornado warning system. It is a test for the Church, an opportunity to see what we really believe. This is the time for the Church to shine brightly. It is the time for the Church to lead well. It is the time for the Church to believe that Jesus meant what He said. We are not meant to pray out of fear or panic or wishful thinking. Jesus said, if you ask AND BELIEVE, you will receive. I believe this is the time for believing, agreeing, focused prayer, resulting in awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT). This is a time for perhaps the greatest victories for the kingdom of God in this generation. And we have the opportunity to be a part of it. Do not sit this one out because of fear. Please do not simply believe that God wants you to merely survive this coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis. He wants us to arise and shine for His glory. He wants us to thrive, to realign ourselves with His purposes. He wants us to believe and cry out for the Kingdom of God to come in our city and nation and to watch Him do it!!!

Here are some great opportunities to be praying with and/or for others, in such a time as this in Athens.

Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, April 2 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

The Student Pastors will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month. In April we will be doing it via Zoom! These Student Pastors have had to be very creative in reaching out to their students who are now in “shelter in place.” Please join us from wherever you are and be praying for all those who minister to the youth of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Pray that God would protect these Students Pastors, their teams and grant them wisdom and creativity as they stay in touch with their students and stir them toward Jesus and living missional lives! Please pray for all the students in our city as well, that this unprecedented moment in history would be the catalyst for revival in our city and specifically among our Middle and High School students.

We have felt it wise to cancel the “driving prayer” portion of our Palm Sunday event. This week Governor Kemp declared a statewide stay at home mandate. So instead of going out, we are asking folks to pray from wherever they are on Sunday from 7 to 8pm. Please feel free to use this guide to help focus and unite the prayers.

We believe it is a turning point, not just for this plague called the coronavirus and the economic chaos it has caused, but for the way Church is done. As such we are calling followers of Jesus Christ in Athens to a pre-Passover, 25 hours of prayer and fasting. It will start before sunset on Tuesday, April 7 and conclude at sunset on Wednesday, April 8 (ushering in Passover). The 25th hour will be dedicated to praise God for what He is about to do!!! More details coming soon but please be asking God what part you are to play in this. I believe this is a VERY IMPORTANT moment for us to be pressing into God on behalf of our city and nation!!! If you have a moment read about the Passover in Exodus 11-12. A prayer guide will be available at https://athensprayernetwork.com/pre-passover-prayer-fasting-guide/

Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, April 8 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

Our pastors are still meeting, sharing ideas, sharing what God is showing them and praying for each other. This Pastors Prayer will be via Zoom. Please use this opportunity to pray for the pastors in our city, beginning with your own! Pray that God would give them extraordinary wisdom, creativity and boldness as they lead their congregations through this challenging time. Pray that God would empower them to lead well, and for your church to be an instrument of life and help to the community. Ask God to guard and even deepen the unity He has been establishing over the past 10 years. Ask God to abundantly bless, refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds across Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay connected to God and run strongly in this battle called coronavirus. Ask God to use these pastors as a voice in our city!

Athens Intercessors Community
Monday, April 13 / 7 to 9pmVia Zoom

Athens Intercessors Community will continue to meet up via Zoom during this “shelter in place” season. This is an important time for intercessors to stay connected, to share what we are hearing the Spirit say to the Church and to pray together. Though this is our only scheduled Intercessors Community meeting in April, we will most likely have more. Please pray for the intercessors in Athens, for God to protect them, lead them, speak to them and pour out the faith and courage to obey Him during this vital time of warfare for our city and nation!

Groups Pastors PrayerWednesday, April 15 / 9:30 to 10:30amVia Zoom

New forms of Groups are being established and the Groups ministry is even more vital than it has ever been before. In this time of social distancing, God is leading the Groups Pastors to create new, effective ways to stay connected. We will continue our monthly Groups Pastor in April via Zoom. Please pray for those who lead the groups ministries in our city, especially as what they did before is not viable in this crisis. They need wisdom and creativity. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well in these new formats, and not to be intimidated by online groups. We’re all rookies at this. May God give each of these leaders a grace to rise up for the occasion. Pray for people in the groups to be willing to dive into the new formats, to share their lives and be open to grow. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for the next season as we coming out of our period of social distancing. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. Ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ Name in Athens!

Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, April 16 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

The leaders who “run” churches across Athens will still be coming together this month, via Zoom. We’ll continue to share and pray for and with each other. These leaders are making decisions in an arena no one has ever walked in before. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. They need wisdom, creativity and faith. This is such a crucial ministry and such an important time as this! Cry out for God to release heaven over their lives! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating and set up new ones for Kingdom growth in Athens. Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need as the Church emerges in this next season.

Prayer for the Middle East & Israel
Friday, April 24 / noonVia Zoom

This opportunity to join in with others, praying together for important issues in the Middle East will continue this month via Zoom. This is an extraordinary time to be praying for the Coronavirus to be broken off the Middle East. There are usually specific reports from folks on the ground in the Middle East that help focus prayer with direct laser accuracy. If you cannot join this Zoom meeting, please take time during this day to pray for the Middle East.
Meeting ID: 71729155770Password: 2AU76g

Ongoing and inspirational…

Campus Ministries Directors PrayerMondays, April 6, ? / 4pmVia Zoom

The Campus Ministry Directors have been scrambling over the past several weeks. The students went off to Spring Break and never returned. We are still coming together via Zoom to hear how they are doing, what’s working in staying connected to their students and to pray together. PLEASE pray for those who lead these ministries at UGA.

Please try to log in at 7:55am to announce your city and county. If you miss the live call you can still hear it by dialing 425-436-6309 (same access code).

Athens Daily Prayer Texts
OngoingAll across Athens area

Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!

For more (and up to date) stuff…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city, especially in such a time as this!